shout (redirected from shouts)

*something to shout about

Fig. something that causes one to show pride or enthusiasm about someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; have ~.) Getting into med school is really something to shout about. she's something to shout about.

It's all over but the shouting.

Fig. Cliché It is decided and concluded.; It is essentially decided and finished. (Meaning that though there may be more to some process, the outcome is clear. An elaboration of all over, which means "finished.") The last goal was made with only 4 seconds to go in the game. "Well, it's all over but the shouting," said the coach. Tom worked hard in college and passed his last test with an A. When he saw the grade, he said, "It's all over but the shouting."

See also: but

shout someone or something down

to overwhelm someone or something by shouting. Mary was trying to speak, but Sally shouted her down. Ann brought up a very important suggestion, but Bob shouted it down. The lecturer had to shout down the entire audience to be heard.

shout about someone or something 

1. to yell about someone or something. Alice is shouting about Tom, the guy who stood her up. What are you shouting about?

2. to show one's pride or enthusiasm about someone or something. (Usually with the object shifted to the front of the sentence.) That's really something to shout about. She's something to shout about.

within hailing distance and within calling distance; within shouting distance

close enough to hear someone call out. When the boat came within hailing distance, I asked if I could borrow some gasoline. We weren't within shouting distance, so I couldn't hear what you said to me.

See also: distance, hail, within

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[laugh/scream/shout etc.] your head off

to laugh/scream/shout etc. very much and very loudly He laughed his head off when he read the letter.

See also: head, laugh

a shouting match  (British, American & Australian) also a slanging match (British & Australian)

an argument where people shout at each other If your child says something rude or unpleasant to you, don't get into a shouting match with them, just leave the room. The debate turned into a slanging match.

See also: match

be nothing to shout about  also not be much to shout about

to not be especially good or exciting The pay rise wasn't much to shout about, but I suppose it's better than nothing.

See also: nothing

It's all over bar the shouting.  (British & Australian)

something that you say when the result of an event or situation is certain The Italian team played superbly, and by half-time it was all over bar the shouting (= it was certain they would win).

See a shouting match

See also: bar

shout something from the rooftops

if you say you want to shout some news from the rooftops, you mean that you want to tell everyone about it because you are so excited When I discovered I was pregnant, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

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shout something from the rooftops also scream something from the rooftops

to tell people about something that excites you Alex was so happy, he wanted to shout the news from the rooftops.